Basil Leaf Oil (CO₂)
Basil Leaf Oil (CO₂)
Extraction Technologies
Mechotech designs and manufactures turnkey extraction plants that process basil leaves to recover linalool and basil oil by supercritical CO₂ extraction. We supply the complete machinery — raw-material preparation, high-pressure extraction, separator collection, CO₂ recycle and finishing — configured to the target specification. Steam distillation of basil leaves is covered on the separate Basil distillation plant page. Candidate extraction technologies for linalool and basil oil: Supercritical CO₂ Extraction (SCFE).
For basil leaves with linalool and basil oil as the target, there is one candidate technology: Supercritical CO₂ Extraction (SCFE). Supercritical CO₂ is generally suited to non-polar fractions such as oils, with an ethanol modifier evaluated only where polar fractions are also needed. These are screening candidates rather than guarantees: the final technology, operating parameters and plant configuration are established during process development and pilot validation. Product-contact parts are built in SS 316L with CIP-cleanable design, and automation is configured to the project.
Technical Specifications
| Product | Basil Leaf Oil (CO₂) Extraction Plant |
|---|---|
| Feedstock | Basil leaves |
| Part / Feed Form | Leaves |
| Target Extract | Linalool and basil oil |
| Extraction Method | CO2 |
| Technology Count | 1 |
| Product-contact Material | SS 316L, electropolished, CIP-cleanable |
| Automation | PLC-SCADA, configured to requirement |
Plant Capacities
| Plant Scale | Leaf Throughput | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Pilot | Configured to your feedstock and trial plan | Product development, parameter validation |
| Semi-Commercial | Configured to raw-material supply and buyer volume | Contract manufacturing, scale-up trials |
| Commercial | Configured to raw-material supply and confirmed buyer volume | Commercial production at confirmed buyer volume |
Capacity is configured to raw-material supply and confirmed buyer volume; we recommend a pilot plant to validate process parameters before scaling. No fixed throughput is quoted for this product.
Manufacturing Process
Each extraction method follows a different process — pick a method to see its steps.
Raw-Material Conditioning
Basil leaves are cleaned and size-reduced so the linalool and basil oil is accessible to supercritical CO₂; moisture and particle size are set during process development.
Extraction Vessel Loading
Conditioned basil leaves are charged into the high-pressure extraction vessel.
Supercritical CO₂ Extraction
Supercritical CO₂ passes through the charge and dissolves linalool and basil oil; an ethanol modifier can be evaluated where polar fractions are also required, and operating pressure and temperature are set in process development.
Separator Collection
Pressure is reduced in separator stages so the extracted linalool and basil oil drops out of the CO₂ and is collected.
CO₂ Recycle
Gaseous CO₂ is re-liquefied and recirculated to the extractor, limiting make-up gas demand.
Finishing & Packing
The collected linalool and basil oil is polished by filtration as needed and packed to the required specification.
Major Plant Equipment
- Raw-material cleaning and size-reduction system
- Supercritical CO₂ extraction vessels
- CO₂ pump, heat exchangers and chiller
- Separator vessels
- CO₂ recovery / recycle system
- Optional ethanol-modifier dosing skid
- Product collection vessels and polish filtration
- CIP (clean-in-place) system
- Storage and finished-product tanks
- PLC-SCADA control panel and instrumentation
Plant Output
From Plant to Product
Basil Extract
This botanical is also in the product range of Sureka Life Sciences, our sister concern in botanical ingredients.
Applications
- Pharmaceutical standardised ingredient supply
- Nutraceutical capsule, tablet, and supplement manufacturing
- Food, flavour, and beverage applications
- Cosmetic and personal care active ingredients
- Ayurvedic and traditional medicine preparations
- Export to regulated-market ingredient buyers
Key Features
Technology-Matched Process Design
The plant is configured around the candidate technology for this feedstock: Supercritical CO₂ (SCFE).
Target-Specific Configuration
Equipment and process steps are selected around the linalool and basil oil target and the basil leaves feed form, and are finalised after pilot work.
Parameters Fixed After Pilot Trials
Recovery, selectivity, solvent or water duty, quality and cleaning are measured in pilot trials before final plant parameters are fixed.
SS 316L Hygienic Construction
Product-contact surfaces are SS 316L and CIP-cleanable, in a hygienic design suited to food, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical supply chains.
Configurable Automation
PLC-SCADA automation with recipe control can be configured to the project scope.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a basil leaf oil extraction plant?
Which feedstock and target extract does the basil leaf oil plant cover?
Does Mechotech supply the complete machinery for basil leaf oil extraction?
What specification can the basil leaf oil plant be configured to deliver?
What production capacities are available for the basil leaf oil plant?
Which industries use the basil leaf oil plant?
Which extraction technology is a candidate for basil leaves?
How does the basil leaf oil extraction process work?
What equipment does the basil leaf oil extraction plant include?
Why is supercritical CO₂ a candidate technology for basil leaf oil?
Which related Mechotech extraction pages cover the same material or target?
Is a pilot trial recommended for basil leaf oil extraction?
Ready to discuss your project?
Get a free quote and technical consultation from our engineering team.